Vacuum reactivator

ABSTRACT

A vacuum reactivator is provided for use with an oral evacuator used to draw water, tooth chips and the like to a collector chamber. The chamber is automatically drained when the suction is turned off. A ball float valve is provided to turn off the vacuum when the liquid in the chamber reaches a predetermined depth, emptying the chamber of water. A plunger is provided for manually disengaging the ball valve from its seat after the chamber has been drained to restore vacuum.

Luis Beguiristain St. Paul, Minn. Appl. No. 771,181

United States Patent [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/1893Way [72] lnventor [22] Filed Oct. 28, 1968 [45] Patented Oct. 12, 1971[73] Assignee Torit Corporation Ramsey County, Minn.

ABSTRACT: A vacuum reactivator is provided for use with an oralevacuator used to draw water, tooth chi s and the like to [54] VACUUMREACTIVATOR a collector chamber. The chamber is automatically drainedwhen the suction is turned off. A ball float valve is provided to turnoff the vacuum when the liquid in the chamber reaches a predetermineddepth, emptying the chamber of water A 1 Claim, 3 Drawing Figs.

plunger is provided for manually disengaging the ball valve from itsseat after the chamber has been drained to restore vacuum.

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This invention relates to an improvement in vacuum reactivator, anddeals particularly with a means for preventing the overflowing of thecollector tanks of oral evacuators or the like.

Oral evacuators have become common accessories in dental offices. Theseevacuators provide a controlled amount of vacuum to a mouthpiece inorder to draw liquid from the mouth of a patient, and also provide ameans of conveying tooth chips and similar objects from the mouth whilethe dentist is working upon the teeth. In most instances, the liquid andvarious particles are drawn into a collection chamber where the liquidlevel gradually rises as the device is used.

When the liquid level rises to a point where a possibility of drawingwater into the suction fan exists, some means is usually provided forstopping the suction fan. In some instances, it is then necessary forthe dentist to stop operation and to drain the collection chamber beforeproceeding. Often this operation requires considerable time and effort.

A feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a vacuumreactivator which may be used to empty the collection tank in a veryshort period of time so that the apparatus may be back in service withina matter of seconds rather than minutes. The collection tank is providedwith-a check valve which normally seals the drain when the suction fanis in operation, but which automatically opens the drain as soon as thesuction fan is cut off. In addition, the outlet of the tank throughwhich air is drawn is provided with a check valve in the fonn of a ballvalve which floats on the surface of the liquid. As soon as the liquidlevel in the collection chamber reaches a predetermined depth, the ballvalve will be drawn against the suction outlet so that no additional airwill be drawn from the collection tank. Thus the ball valve st stops theliquid from being drawn into the suction fan.

A feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a checkvalve which will open as soon as the above-mentioned ball valve closesthe suction outlet. As soon as the check valve opens, the liquid in thechamber drains out. The ball valve would nonnally remain closed as longas the suction source is vides the upper portion of the collectionchamber, the material entering the chamber coming in on one side of thepartition, and the air leaving the chamber being removed from the areaon the other side of the partition. An elongated slotted tube or valveguide is connected to the air outlet, and a ball valve is slidable inthe tube and is designed to seat against the outlet when the liquidlevel of the tank raises to a predetermined degree. In order to assistthe operation, a float is mounted in the tube beneath the ball valve,this float being operable to raise the ball valve toward the outlet sothat the valve may close by suction somewhat before the liquid levelreaches the outlet.

These and other objects and novel features of the present invention willbe more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification andclaims.

In the drawings forming a part of the specification.

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view through the collection chamber,showing the inlet thereto and the outlet therefrom.

FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view through the chamber, the positionof the section being indicated by the line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

F IG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the upper portion of thecollection chamber showing the general arrangement of parts therein.

The collection chamber is shown as comprising a generally rectangulartank having parallel sidewalls and 11 and parallel end walls 12 and 13connected together at the comers to provide a tubular structure. Abottom wall 14 closes the lower end of the container. A top cover panel15 closes the top of the chamber, the cover panel 15 having dependingflanges 16 which fit snugly over the side and end walls of the chamber.An inverted generally U-shaped connector 17 extends through the toppanel 15. A shoulder 19 near one end of the connector 17 engages theupper surface of the panel 15 to limit insertion of the end of thefitting 17. A nut 20 is fitted on the end of the connector beneath thetop panel 15 to hold the container 17 in place. The connector 17 isconnected by a suitable flexible tube or hose to the mouthpiece of theoral evacuator. In view of the fact that devices of this type are wellknown in the art, this arrangementis not shown in detail.

A partition wall 21 is secured to the undersurface of the top panel 15parallel to the end walls 12 and 13, the partition substantially fillingthe space between the sidewalls l0 and 11 as is indicated in FIG. 2 ofthe drawings. The partition wall 21 is provided with a horizontal flange22 at its upper extremity which is welded or otherwise secured to theundersurface of the top panel 15. The partition 21 is reinforced byvertical flanges 23 which lie inwardly of the sidewalls l0 and 11. Abottom flange 24 is also provided on the partition wall, this flangeserving a purpose which will be described.

A second inverted U-shaped connector 25 extends through the top panel 15on the opposite side of the partition wall 21 from the connector 17. Theconnector 25 is provided near one end with a shoulder 26 which restsupon the upper surface of the panel 15, and the connector is held inplace by a nut such as 27 threaded on the lower end of the connector endwhich extends through the top panel. The connector 25 is connected by asuitable flexible hose or other such means to a suction device designedto draw air from the container. In view of the fact that suction devicesof the type in question are well known in the art, the pump is notillustrated in the drawings.

An elongated tube 29 is secured to the end 30 of the connector 25 whichis within the collection chamber A. A cylindrical valve seat 31 isprovided within the upper end of the tube 29. A ball valve 32 isvertically movable in the tube 29. A generally cylindrical float 33 isalso vertically slidable in the tube 29, and is held in the tube by aring 34 of flange at the lower end of the'tube 29. The tube 29 isslotted as indicated at 35 so that water may flow through the walls ofthe tube.

A block of foam plastic such as polyester, polyurethane having aporosity of l0p.m. encircles the tube 29 between the end wall 12 and thepartition wall 21, and is supported by the flange 24. The plastic issufficiently porous to allow air to be drawn through it. The mainpurpose of, the plastic block is to prevent the foam created by cleaningelements from entering the tube 29 and freezing the float 33 frommovement.

A check valve 37 extends through the end wall l3 of the tank chamber Aand is sealed relative thereto by means of a grommet 39. The check valve37 has an entrance opening 40 and a discharge tube 41. The check valve37 may include a hollow body which includes a ball valve which seatsagainst the opening 40 on the interior of the hollow body when thecollection chamber is subject to vacuum so as to hold the drain closed.As soon as the suction to the collection chamber is cut off the checkvalve 37 is permitted to open, and the liquid within the chamber A isconducted through the tube 41 to a suitable drain receptacle. The liquidwithin the chamber will then quickly drain to the liquid level line 42.

The connector 25 is provided with a guide tube 43 extending therethroughin axial alignment with the lower end 30 of the connector. A plunger 44is slidable in the tube guide 43, and includes a knob 45 at its exposedupper end which is usually supported above the upper end of the guidetube 43 by a spring 46. The lower end 47 of the plunger 44 is flattenedso that the plunger cannot be pulled upwardly to the guide tube. Theplunger 44 is in the path of movement of the ball thereof 32 and theball valve is sufficiently buoyant, particularly when aided by the float33, to raise the plunger and spring 46 above the upper end of the guidetube. Thus when the water level is sufficiently high, the valve ball 32will be drawn by suction against the valve seat 31 to prevent furtherair and water from being drawn from the receptacle A The raising of theplunger 44 thus provides an indication or signal when the ball 32 isengaged with its valve seat.

When the liquid level raises sufficiently to engage the valve ball 32with its valve seat, as indicated in FIG. 3 of the drawings, suction tothe tank is cut off. As the connector 17 is connected to atmospherethrough its flexible tube 47 and oral evacuator tip 49, the pressure inthe tank raises. The check valve 37 immediately opens and the liquidwill drain from the collector receptacle.

The ball valve 32 will remain closed due to suction from the suctionsource. The vacuum reactivator is then operated to start the device inoperation. By manually depressing the plunger 44, the ball 32 is forcedfrom its seat 31 to drop downwardly through the guide tube to again restupon the float 33. The device will then continue to function until theliquid level again raises to the maximum liquid level line.

It should be understood that the vacuum reactivator is used only whensufficient liquid enters the tank to dangerously raise the liquid level.When the evacuator is not used and the vacuum supply turned off the tankautomatically drains. However, the system protects the vacuum supplysource in the event the evacuator is continuously used over a longperiod of time.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principlesof construction and operation of my improvement in vacuum reactivator,and while I have endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, Idesire to have it understood that changes may be made within the scopeof the following claims without departing from the spirit of myinvention.

I claim: 1. A vacuum reactivator for use in conjunction with an oralevacuator tube and a source of partial vacuum, the reactivatorincluding:

a collecting chamber having an inlet and an outlet extending into thesame at the upper end thereof,

a drain connection including valve means adapted to close the drain whenthe interior of the chamber is subjected to partial vacuum,

a guide means adjoining said outlet and supporting a buoyant valve ball,

a valve seat at the end of said guide means and cooperable with saidvalve ball to close said outlet when said valve ball is engagedtherewith,

manually operable means engageable with said valve ball to disengagesaid valve ball from said valve seat,

a vertical partition extending from the top of said chamber to a pointspaced from the bottom thereof between said inlet and said outlet,

said partition extending completely across said collecting chamber and aflock of porous foam on one side of said partition wall and encirclingsaid guide means.

1. A vacuum reactivator for use in conjunction with an oral evacuatortube and a source of partial vacuum, the reactivator including: acollecting chamber having an inlet and an outlet extending into the sameat the upper end thereof, a drain connection including valve meansadapted to close the drain when the interior of the chamber is subjectedto partial vacuum, a guide means adjoining said outlet and supporting abuoyant valve ball, a valve seat at the end of said guide means andcooperable with said valve ball to close said outlet wHen said valveball is engaged therewith, manually operable means engageable with saidvalve ball to disengage said valve ball from said valve seat, a verticalpartition extending from the top of said chamber to a point spaced fromthe bottom thereof between said inlet and said outlet, said partitionextending completely across said collecting chamber and a flock ofporous foam on one side of said partition wall and encircling said guidemeans.